Harry Potter and What Could Have Been: Year Five
by KimTomPW
Summary: The fifth part in my Harry Potter and What Could Have Been series.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers._

Chapter 1 Lord Voldemort's Request/Prelude

It had hardly been a fortnight since the start of the summer holidays, and Ron knew that something was wrong. According to his dad, Arthur Weasley, the Ministry of Magic was trying to act like Harry Potter, also known as the Boy-Who-Lived, and Albus Dumbledore, the current headmaster of Hogwarts, were lying, and that the Dark Lord wasn't back.

"It plays into the Dark Lord's plan perfectly," Mr. Weasley said from behind the newspaper. Ron just sat in silence and ate his breakfast, all though he wasn't at all hungry, which was very rare. "Fudge is in a great deal of denial."

Ron glanced over at the newspaper his father was looking at, and then took another forced mouthful of eggs just to have something to do.

He had stopped reading the Daily Prophet as soon as it had started printing lies about Harry and Dumbledore. He usually didn't read the paper, but Hermione told him that this might happen, and wanted to see if she was right, which of course she was.

xxx

Ron was lying on his stomach later on that day, writing a letter to Hermione, when a knock came at his door.

"Come in," he said, shoving the letter into his pillowcase.

Mr. Weasley peeked his head into the room and said, "Ron, you're requested downstairs."

"Request…" he began, but then realized what it meant. "Oh, right."

Ron walked extra slowly down the stairs. This was it, he was sure of it. He only wished that he would've sent Hermione that letter before walking to his death.

"Good afternoon, Ronald," the cold voice of Voldemort said as Ron walked into the kitchen the area.

A pale, nonhuman-looking man, sat at the head of the table. He had red eyes and slits for nostrils. Ron suddenly got the image of a human-snake inbreed gone horribly wrong.

"My Lord," Ron said, bowing low.

"I am pleased that you continue to befriend Mr. Potter and Miss… Granger," Voldemort said as Ron sat down at the other end of the table.

It was now Ron wished his mother or mother were by his side. He just knew he was taking his last breaths here on Earth.

"Thank you, my Lord," Ron said, not daring to say anything else.

"They still believe your family to be… innocent?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes," Ron immediately nodded, now feeling the smallest bit of hope.

"Very good," Voldemort said, putting ghis hands together now. "I wish you to continue this and report Potter's actions to Serverus, or as you know him, Professor Snape."

"Of course, my lord," Ron said, his mind now fool of confusion. How didn't he know this about his Head of House? All though he wasn't really that surprised.

As Ron walked back up the stairs, only one thing was on his mind. His letter to Hermione. No matter how much wanted to tell Hermione and Harry about this, Ron knew he couldn't. He'd have to do what he was told, or he'd truly die. That wasn't something he could do to Hermione… and even to Harry if he was being truthful with himself.

As he lay in bed, Ron wondered what Harry and Hermione were doing right now… if they were okay.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers._

Chapter 2 The Question Answered

Voldemort hadn't visited the Burrow since then, which Ron was thankful for.

He had been hoping to see Hermione and Harry at Diagon Alley, but they hadn't met each other.

That night, Ron got a letter from Hermione, apologizing. He couldn't really blame her for not wanting to be around his family.

To his delight, Ron had found out that they had both become Prefects.

It was now September the first again, and for the first time, Ron wasn't really sure he wanted to go back.

"Remember…" Mrs. Weasley began as she wrapped Ron in her arms.

Gasping for air, Ron said, "Yes, Mum."

"I love you, darling. I hope you know that," Mrs. Weasley sobbed, which made Ron glad Fred and George were already on the train.

"I love you too, Mum. See you at Christmas," Ron said, adjusting his prefect badge on his jacket.

As soon as Ron boarded the train, Hermione yelled "Ron!" He smile at the sight of her and Harry.

Hermione gave Ron a much more enthusiastic greeting then he, and Harry by the look on his face, had expected.

"It's great to see you, too," Ron said, his face now burning.

Hermione had apparently shocked herself as well as she looked down and didn't say another word, licking her lips quickly.

"Ron," Harry finally said as his greeting.

'Harry," he nodded. He could tell Harry didn't feel much like talking at the moment. Whether it was because of Ron and Hermione's greeting or something else, Ron didn't know.

"Let's find a compartment, shall we?" Hermione suggested as she found her voice again.

Ginny then appeared from one of the compartments and beckoned over to them.

"Ron and I have to patrol the corridors for a while, Harry," Hermione said after putting her things away.

"Prefect duties," was all Harry had said.

Ron hadn't liked leaving Ginny and Harry alone in the compartment, but Hermione had assured him that they'd be back soon.

A few hours later, Ron and Hermione finally got back to the compartment. Ginny's eyes were closed, and her head resting on the window seal.

"I know what you're going to say, Harry," Ron said, seeing the look on his face.

"Then tell us…" Harry began, but stopped when Ron lifted his hand up and said, "Harry, even I knew anything, you know I can't tell you what's going on."

Harry looked down and sighed and said, "Yeah, Lupin told me it would be something like that."

"Professor Lupin?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I'm…" Harry began.

Ron shook his head and said, "You don't have to tell me anything. Honestly."

"Even if Ron was to tell anyone…but I know you won't," Hermione quickly recovered when Ron gave her a look, "I don't believe the Death Eaters could do anything about it."

Ron looked over at Harry as he heard him sigh.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Harry said. "Besides, what's the bother in even being friends if we can't trust each other? I'm staying at Sirius's house."

"Oh, brilliant," Ron replied, not expecting for what Harry had said to him. Harry really did trust him, and that made Ron feel both good and awful at the same time. "You were able to escape you aunt and uncles then?"

"You… you haven't been reading the Daily Prophet?" Harry asked.

"I stopped after they started putting in those lies about Harry and Dumbledore," Ron admitted.

The smallest hint of a small escaped from Harry's mouth. It looked so out of place that Ron wondered how long it had been since Harry had actually laughed.

"I was attacked by two Dementors this summer," Harry told Ron.

Ron's eyes widened as Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"What?" he almost shouted. He hadn't heard any of this. It surprised him how mad this made him. "But how…"

"You really haven't been told anything," Hermione said, realization hitting her Ron noticed.

"No, I haven't," Ron said, anger still in his voice. He really couldn't blame them for not fully trusting him. "Suppose they think I'd run straight to my room to send you an owl. I had no idea."

"I was nearly expelled from school," Harry explained after retelling the story to Ron.

"Blimey," Ron replied, not knowing what to say about it. "The only thing I know is the Ministry of Magic is putting one of their own to Defense Against the Dark Arts."

He had actually eavesdropping on a conversation between his parents when the subject had come up.

"I'm not surprised about that," Hermionesaid with a sigh. Apparently this was new information to her. "It's their way of keeping an eye on Harry and Dumbledore."

"BUT I'M NOT LYING!" Harry snapped.

Ron's eyes grew. He had never seen Harry this angry before. Ginny sat straight up, but didn't say a word.

"Sorry, Ginny," Harry muttered.

Ginny just rolled her eyes and laid her head back on the window. This little exchange between the pair made no sense to Ron at all.

Before he could put any more thought on the subject, Hermione said, wearily, "Please, Harry, there's no need to shout. You don't have to convince us."

"Sorry," Harry apologized.

Throughout the train ride, Ron began to wonder why Ginny had called them into her compartment. A compartment that just had her in it.

And then it hit him like two Bludgers. Ginny, at some point, had fallen for Harry.

AN:

All right, so I'm throwing Harry/Ginny into the mix. It was going to happen anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers._

Chapter 3 The D.A.

It was now a week since the start of classes. And it had been the worst week Ron had ever had. The weirdest thing that had happened though in Ron's opinion was when Professor Snape had called him to his office. Ron had been expecting it, oh course, but what he hadn't expected was the conversation hey would have.

"Good evening, Mr. Weasley," Snape had greeted Ron.

Ron swallowed hard, and then replied, "Good evening, Pro… professor." He despised himself for the crack in his voice.

"I am sure that you are aware of why I summoned you," Snape said.

"The Dark Lord wishes me to divulge information about Harry Potter to you," Ron replied, trying to act as normal as possible.

"This is correct," Snape nodded. "I also don't want you to speak of this to anyone, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Ron said, not wanting to his eyes to shift from his Head of House.

Ron's eyes grew as Snape bent closer to him before their eyes were now level and said, "I want you to listen carefully to me, Ron, because it's a matter of life and death."

"Sir?" he asked, not fully understanding what his teacher was talking about.

"You are to report to me once a week. In addition to giving me information on Potter, I will be giving you Occlumency lessons," Snape said.

Ron sank into the nearest chair, not caring if he had been invited to or not. This was big. How was he supposed to close his mind?

"May I ask why, sir?" Ron asked.

"You will in due time. But for right now, all you need to know is how to close your mind," Snape said, and Ron was glad that he didn't sound mad about him just sitting down.

"All right, Professor," Ron nodded.

Ron knew his Potion's Professor was up to something, and he wasn't about to say anything about it.

xxx

Harry and Hermione looked extremely angry as he met up with them the next morning.

"She's an old hag, isn't she?" Hermione surprisingly said. It wasn't like her to say something like that. But Ron knew she was talking about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, and he could help but agree with her.

Ron saw Harry clutch his left hand.

"Harry, what's wrong?" he asked.

"It… it's nothing," Harry said, his eyes moving towards the ground.

"Nothing made you grab your hand like it had just been stabbed?" Ron asked, because that was exactly what it had looked liked to him.

Harry sighed and showed him the back of his hand. The scar on it spelled out "I must not tell lies."

"You need to go to Dumbledore," Ron said, making Hermione roll her eyes.

She put her hands on her hips and said, "Don't you think I've already tried telling him that?"

"Well, we have to do something about this," Ron said, knowing that he would want to do the same of it had been him in Harry's situation.

"Hermione already has," Harry said, finally looking back up, but not at Ron or Hermione.

"Really? That's brilliant," Ron said happily, and then he turned and asked Hermione, Why haven't you told me?"

"I wanted to," she started to explain, "but I don't think… well I knew you'd for it, but being in Slytherin, I thought you might want to keep up appearances."

Ron had to smile. He loved it when Hermione got all flustered when she didn't know what to say.

"You do have a point about that," Ron said, a big smile still on his face.

Hermione smiled and gave him a quick kiss, and then told him, "I wish you could be apart of this."

"And why can't I?" Ron asked in an almost whiny voice.

"I don't know what I'd do if Draco… or anyone else from Slytherin found out you were in on this," Hermione said in a whisper as she held on to Ron's arm tightly.

"All right, fine," Ron said with a sigh. "Be careful."

"Of course," Hermione said as she finally let go of him.

Harry cleared his throat and said, "We better get to class."

"What exactly are you two doing?" Ron asked, but knew they weren't going to say anything if they didn't have to.

And sure enough, Hermione only told him, "Let's just say it's called the D.A."

xxx

Before they knew it, it was already time for the Christmas holiday. Ron was surprised when Hermione had grabbed his hand while boarding the Hogwarts Express.

His Occlumency lessons with Snape hadn't improved very much, so he didn't know how his Head of House would react when he saw him and Hermione together. However, Ron had a feeling Snape already knew.

"How's that D.A. thing going?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione in a whisper as they walked through the train, trying to find a compartment.

"Oh, brilliant," Harry said, and Ron was surprise to see him smiling about it, which meant that it must be true.

"No one has tried to tell on you?" Ron asked.

"No, why?" Hermione wondered in a panicked voice. "Do you know something?"

"No," Ron quickly assured her. "But I wouldn't doubt Umbridge is trying to find out what's going on."

Harry groaned and placed his hand over his scar.

"Harry, is everything okay?" Ron asked as they finally found a compartment.

"No, my scar's been hurting even more since Snape's started giving me Occlumency lessons," Harry explained as he sat down.

"You're joking, right?" Ron asked, starting to get a bit panicked himself now. Snape hadn't told him anything about this. "Why would Snape…"

Ron saw Hermione and Harry glance at each other.

"Dumbledore wanted him to," Hermione said.

"Oh," Ron replied, calming down.

He didn't know what he'd do if Snape were to ever tell Harry that he was getting lessons also.

AN:

None that I can think of right now lol.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers._

Chapter 4 The Giant

Ron noticed the Gryffindor table was glummer than usual for it being a Saturday Quidditch match, and he knew why.

"I still can't believe you…" Ron began as he approached Hermione and Harry.

"I can," Harry said through gritted teeth. He had been kicked out of his House team thanks to Umbridge.

"Well, I better get going," Ron said, feeling a little awkward now.

Harry, with his head down, replied, "Yeah, don't want the team to say anything."

It hadn't come out as sarcastic as Ron had imagined it would have, though.

"I'll talk to you after the match," Ron said.

As he approached the Slytherin table, Draco said, "This is perfect with Potter being out of the picture."

"Yeah, that is going to be a help," Ron admitted as he sat down.

xxx

It was a couple of hours later, and Slytheirn was ahead of Gryffindor forty to twenty.

"And Slytherin scores again," Lee Jordon yelled. "That's fifty for Sltherin, twenty for Gryffindor."

Ron looked around at the Gryffindor stands, but he couldn't see Hermione and Harry anywhere.

"Oh, and the Slytherin Keeper just let the Quaffle pass him," Lee declared, making Ron's grow. How had he'd missed it? 'The scores now fifty to thirty… still to Slytherin. Although, I don't know how long if the Slytherin Keeper can't…"

'That's enough, Mr. Jordon," Professor McGonagall replied.

"Sorry, Professor," Lee apologized.

Ron looked around again for Hermione and Harry and asked out loud, "Where are they?"

"And Gryffindor scores again," Lee yelled out, causing Ron to curse under his breath.

The match finally ended when the Seeker replacing Harry caught the Snitch. Ron had just landed when he saw Hermione and Harry running on to the pitch.

He didn't get to talk to them until the next day at breakfast.

Ron had run straight up to them in the Great Hall and asked, "Where were you two yesterday?"

The two looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, sounding almost like they had been caught.

"Don't lie to me. I looked up to find you in the stands during the match, but couldn't." Ron said.

Hermione glanced over at Harry, and then she looked back and Ron and leaned into him and whispered, "We'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone."

"Yeah, all right," Ron nodded.

"Hagrid had a giant half-brother in the Forbidden Forest," Harry said.

"Has he gone mental?" Ron said, going into complete shock.

Harry and Hermione started laughing at the long on the look on Ron's face.

xxx

Everything seemed to be going from bad to worse. The D.A. had been caught. Dumbledore had disappeared, leaving Dolores Umbridge as the new headmistress.

It was also now the fifth years' last O.W.L.s examination for History of Magic.

"Good luck," Hermione whispered into Ron's ear as they entered the Great Hall.

His eyes grew and he felt his cheeks get warmer as Hermione then kissed his cheek.

A couple of hours into the exam, or it could have been more in Ron's opinion, he heard someone scream out, "Harry!"

And then another loud scream came, but from a different person. Ron turned and saw Harry on the ground, screaming.

"Mr. Potter, are you all right?" the examiner asked Harry as he finally came to, looking absolutely terrified.

"Yes, sorry. I fell asleep," Harry explained.

"Perhaps you should visit the hospital wing after finishing," the examiner suggested.

"I'm about finished. I'll just go now," Harry told him, and without another look back, Harry left the Great Hall.

"As you wish," Ron heard the examiner say under his breath.

Ron looked down at his parchment and saw where he was at. There was no way Harry was that far ahead of him.

He and Hermione caught up with Harry after the exam was over. They both had been worried about him.

"What happened?" Hermione asked Harry at once.

"Voldemort…" Harry started, but stopped when Ron tightly closed his eyes and shudder. "Sorry, Ron," Harry apologized, "but I'm too used to saying his name. He has Sirius in the Department of Mysteries."

Hermione leveled her eyebrows and said, "That's in the Ministry of Magic.'

"Yeah," Harry nodded.

They looked over at Ron, waiting for him to say something.

"Why would they be there?" Ron asked, deciding to go for the more detective approach.

"There's something there that You-Know-Who wants," Harry said.

Ron didn't know what to say. He hadn't heard anything about something the Dark Lord wanted.

"You didn't know that either?" Hermione asked, seeing the clearly stunned look on his face.

"I'm sixteen," Ron told them. "They're not going to tell me anything."

As the words came out, Ron realized just how true they were. If he wanted to know anything, he'd have to be a… he didn't want to think about that.

AN:

Just two more chapters to go.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers._

Chapter 5 At the Ministry

Ron hoped everything was going fine with Hermione and Harry's plan. He hadn't realized where he going and knocked into someone.

Ron gasped "Professor Snape," when he saw he it was. 'I'm so sorry."

"Something on your mind, Mr. Weasley?" Snape asked in a low voice.

"I… I…" Ron began, knowing he was in trouble.

He then closed his eyes, knowing Snape would use Legilimency on him, but nothing happened. Ron slowly opened his eyes.

"Very good," Snape said.

"Sorry?" Ron asked, not really understanding what was going on.

Snape looked at him as if he should've known this, and said, "You've learned to close your mind finally."

"Oh, great," Ron replied, not knowing what to say.

"Unfortunately," Sanpe then said with a bit of amusement in his voice. "Mr. Potter has yet to accomplish Occulmency."

"Sir?" Ron asked, not knowing what his teacher was getting out.

Of course, he knew Harry was also receiving lessons from Snape, but he didn't know how they were going.

"I know what he's planning to do," Snape told him.

"Oh," Ron said, the answer obvious now.

"You know as well as I that this is a trap," Snape said.

Ron looked down and sighed. He would have told Harry this, but he knew he wouldn't believe him.

Ron looked back up and asked, "What do I need to do?"

Snape took a step closer to Ron and said, "Go to the Ministry with Potter and the others. Help as much as you can. Then you must get out of there anyway you can before the Death Eaters arrive."

"Yes, sir," Ron nodded.

As soon as Ron rounded the corner, he ran into… "Ginny!"

She was out of breath as she said "I've… been looking… all over for… you."

"Why?" Ron asked.

Though, he had a feeling he knew why. Ever since the train ride to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year, he was starting to think Ginny was starting to fancy Harry.

"Harry and Hermione got caught," Ginny said.

"What?" Ron gasped.

He knew they were trying to contact Sirius, but he didn't think they'd get caught.

"Umbridge caught them in her office using the Floo," Ginny explained.

"I got to go," Ron said.

He started running, though he didn't know where he was going. He stopped and turned as Ginny yelled, "Ron!"

He wanted to tell Ginny to leave him, but he knew she wouldn't listen to him.

They both gasped when they ran into Hermione and Harry.

"Ron, you can't be there," Hermione said desperately to him, wrapping her arms around him. "What of someone sees you?"

Ron smiled and took hold of her chin and said, "How many times do I have to tell you I don't bloody give a damn what people think?"

"That goes for us as well," someone said from began them.

They turned and saw Neville and a Ravenclaw girl Ron only knew as Loony Lovegood, though he name was Luna.

"Ginny get back to the common room now," Ron said, figuring he should at lest give it a shot to get her to safety.

"I would, but there's just one problem," she said. Ron rolled his eyes, knowing what she was about to say. "I don't give a damn either what people think."

Ron sighed as they made their way out of the castle.

"I don't want any of you coming to the Ministry with me," Harry told them suddenly.

"That's just rude," Luna's dream-like voice said. "After all we've been through."

Harry looked down and replied, "I just don't want to lose any of you."

"Too late for that," Neville said. "Now, how are we getting to London?"

"On those," Luna said, pointing into thin air.

Ron, as well as Ginny and Hermione he could tell, couldn't see anything.

"What are you pointing at?" Ron asked.

"Thestrals," Luna declared.

"And how exactly are we going to fly something we can't see?" Ginny asked.

"Harry, Neville, and I can," Luna said.

xxx

Ron fell to the ground as they finally reached the Ministry.

"Never again," he said, he voice shaking like crazy.

He ran over to Hermione when she landed. A he helped her get off, he asked, "Are you all right?"

"I will be," Hermione said, her voice also shaking.

After getting out of the telephone booth, Ron pulled Ginny aside.

"You should be back at the castle," he told her.

"So should you," Ginny replied.

"I have my reasons," Ron said, looking away for a moment.

"Yeah, and so do I," Ginny said.

They were soon surrounded by doors, they were checking each one.

Taking his chance, Ron grabbed Ginny and said, "Quick, in here."

"What's your problem?" Ginny demanded as Ron closed the door behind them.

"This is a trap. Harry's Godfather isn't here," Ron said.

Looking around, they noticed a container of brains.

"How do you know?" Ginny asked, still looking around nervously.

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that Death Eaters are on their way, and we can't be here when they do," Ron said.

"I thought you…" Ginny began before Ron covered her mouth and said, "This is different. Please, Ginny, trust me."

"What's your plan?" Ginny asked.

Taking another look at the tank of brains, Ron closed his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, Hermione," before putting his wand at the tank and yelled, "Accio brains!"

Hermione gasped "Ron," when Ginny came out of the room, carrying Ron as best as she could.

A brain was still trying to strangle Ron.

"Ginny, what's the matter?" Harry asked, he and Hermione immediately started trying to pull the brain off of Ron, but they just couldn't.

"The idiot thought it'd be funny to see how they felt," she explained, tears now fall down her cheeks.

"Get em' off," Ron chocked, wanting to kick himself for even doing what he did.

Harry stood up, pointed his wand at the brain, and yelled, "Reducto!"

"Ron," Hermione gasped when he became unconscious.

"Is he going to be all right?" Neville asked from behind them. He and Luna had apparently been in one of the many rooms.

"I don't know," Harry admitted. He then looked at Ginny and said, "You better take him to the hospital wing."

"Ri… right," she stuttered.

"I'll show them to the Thestrals," Luna said.

After Luna had safely gotten Ginny and Ron on a Thestral, Ron woke up and whispered, "Snape…"

"Sorry?" Ginny asked.

She could have sworn he had said Snape, but she hadn't been sure.

"We can't… go… to the… hospital wing. You… need to…. take me to… Professor Snape's office," Ron said.

"All right, fine," Ginny replied, hoping they would get back to the castle in time.

xxx

Ron had fallen out of consciousness again when they got to the castle. Ginny thought it was miracle that she had even gotten to Snape's office.

She was about to collapse on the floor when the door open and a cold voice started, "What's going…"

He stopped at the sight of a worn out Ginny and Ron on the floor.

"Please, Professor. He said to come to you," Ginny said.

"Inside, quickly," Snape told her. Snape raised his wand and Ron came up off the ground and floated inside.

"Can you help him?" Ginny asked as she walked over to where Ron was lowered onto the couch.

"Of course I can, now stand aside," Snape commanded.

xxx

When Ron woke up, he was in the hospital wing. The first person he saw was Ginny.

"I thought I told you…" he began, thinking she hadn't done what he told her to do.

"I did," Ginny said. "Professor Snape brought you here after doing what he could." She than leaned closer to him and whispered, "You got in a row with another Slytherin last night."

"Right," Ron replied, glad that he didn't have to make up the excuse himself.

AN:

One more chapter. And Happy Belated Independence Day!


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers._

Chapter 6 His Destiny/ Epilogue

Harry and Hermione had also been in the hospital wing with Ron as well. Luna, Neville, and Ginny had all minor injuries. Ginny had yelled at Ron because she had broken her ankle getting him to Snape's office.

"Oh, Hermione…" Ron started when he really regained his strength.

"You don't have to say anything, Ron," she said as she lied in bed.

"If I hadn't been such a bloody git, you wouldn't be in here," he told her. "I could've protected you."

"It would've happened either way I think," Hermione said, trying sit up.

Ron glanced over at Harry's bed and was glad that he was asleep.

xxx

Ron was holding onto Hermione's hand, not ever wanting to let it go, as they and Harry boarded the train to go back home.

When Ron spotted Draco, he turned to Hermione and Harry and asked, "Do you mind if I have a chat with Draco? I'm not sure how long it'll take."

Ron kissed Hermione on the cheek as she and Harry nodded.

"Draco, can I talk to you?" Ron asked when he caught up with him.

"I was just about to come and get you actually," he said

"Really?" Ron asked as they entered an empty compartment.

Ron got an ugly feeling at the pit of his stomach as Draco gave him a look that could only mean one thing.

"No," he gasped.

There was no way it could be true.

"I wish I could tell you I'm sorry," Draco said, causing Ron's head to fell.

"We're only sixteen," Ron almost whispered.

"The earlier the better my father says." Draco said.

Ron sighed, feeling sorry for Draco to some degree. His father had been caught at the Ministry that night and was now in Azkaban.

"And my father actually agreed to this?" Ron asked, trying to change the subject.

"He never really had the choice," Draco explained, and Ron understood this.

"And what if I refuse to get it?" Ron asked, not wanting to say the word out loud.

Draco gave a little laugh and replied, "You're not really expecting me to answer that, are you?"

Ron sighed and said, "Hermione and Harry are going to want nothing to do with me anymore."

He looked up and saw Draco looking at him like he'd never looked at him before.

"This is your destiny," Draco said.

Ron nodded and left the compartment to rejoin Hermione and Harry.

AN:

Well, this is it for this part. The sixth part of this will be up soon.


End file.
